The Phoenix Suns' “Big 3” with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal combined for 65 points in their 127-112 loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden Thursday.
The Celtics, who were without starter Kristaps Porzingis, eclipsed that number with 75 points thanks to 25 3-pointers in the win.
The Suns fell to 38-28, good for seventh in the West, after the loss. Phoenix dropped both games to Boston on the season.
Here are three takeaways from the loss.
Boston shoots lights out of TD Garden, literally
The lights temporarily went out at TD Garden just as Celtics-Suns was about to tipoff 😅pic.twitter.com/ZShWXUiWrU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 14, 2024
TD Garden is one of the best arenas in the NBA. The hometown Celtics, who have won 17 championships, look like they might win their 18th this season with superstar Jayson Tatum leading a team of 3-point shooters and elite perimeter defenders. Coach Joe Mazzulla has his team on pace to have the fifth-best NET rating in NBA history.
Before the Suns had their first possession, the lights inside TD Garden went out for a second. That proceeded to overcome the Suns, who could not shut out Boston's 25 3-pointers.
Phoenix had a 26-18 lead, when it owned the pace and got hot starts from Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Unfortunately for them, they could not build on it.
Devin Booker sloppy in game against NBA's best team
Booker in the 2021 playoffs owned contests and series against the LA Lakers, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks. Following a quick elimination in the 2022 playoffs, Booker had the best nine-game stretch by a player scoring at least 300 points in the span. He shot a combined 78 percent and averaged 41.5 points in Games 3 and 4 of the conference semifinals against the Nuggets, who won the NBA title.
Booker to some is considered a top-10 player in the world, but his resume suggests he is better. But the 27-year-old looked poor throughout the Celtics loss. He missed 5-of-6 shots to begin the game and switched shoes in the second quarter.
The former Kentucky Wildcat also had an injury scare when he landed on forward Xavier Tillman's foot, appearing to hurt his left ankle. Booker recently returned from a four-game absence with a right ankle injury.
“He (one of the referees) just apologized,” Booker said. “Said they seen it, should have called it. Don't know how it works, but at least I got an apology.”
Booker ended up with the most points of any “Big 3” member with 23.
Role players and rotations yet to be determined this late in the year
The Suns have championship aspirations. Majority owner Mat Ishbia said at the beginning of the season he felt the Suns had the best team in the NBA, and coach Frank Vogel said they had “real belief” they could win the franchise's first-ever title.
That may be possible, but Phoenix is still in a search of who will be in its rotation come playoff time. Wing Ish Wainwright, who the Suns signed to a two-year deal 11 days ago, played at the backup three/four spot. Usual backup forward Drew Eubanks played just four minutes, which may indicate he could see the floor for less time.
Vogel said wing Thad Young, who the Suns signed on the buyout, is behind Eubanks on the depth chart. Young received garbage minutes but had a backdoor pass and finish that showed he is capable even at 35 years old.
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